newsletter
Issue Twenty-One /April 2003
NMDC Newsletter April 2003 Page 1Welcome to the April edition of the NMDC newsletter. The newsletter is widely circulated among national museums and other related organisations. If you could like to contribute to future editions, please contact Emily Adams ().
The newsletter is also available on our website -
NMDC Newsletter April 2003 Page 1NMDC News
NMDC Newsletter April 2003 Page 1
Economics of Museums
Sir Neil Chalmers chaired a roundtable session with a group of academic economists and social policy experts along with museum finance directors on 18 March to consider how to take forward our project on the economics of museums.
The starting point for the discussion was a recognition that we need to do more to articulate our case rather than simply reacting to changing agendas. The conclusion of the meeting was that NMDC should commission a report that demonstrates the economic, civic and social impact the national museums make, illustrating the need for, and benefits of, state investment in our institutions. One of the specific aims of the report will also be to highlight areas in which museums can collate information on a collective basis (such as in relation to visitors, turnover etc) and others where further research is required.
The Economics of Museums working group is chaired by Sir Neil Chalmers and includes Mark Jones, Sian Williams (Tate), Chris Yates (National Gallery), Mary Fridlington (Natural History Museum), Chris Herring (British Museum) and Sean Bullick (NMDC).
NMGW Director
Michael Houlihan takes up his new post as Director of the National Museums and Galleries of Wales from 14 April. The name of his successor at Museums and Galleries of Northern Ireland has yet to be announced.
De-Accessioning
The draft de-accessioning paper has now been sent for consultation with NMDC members and the sector more widely. Comments from DCMS, AIM, Resource, SMC and the MA have generally been positive and helpful on matters of drafting detail. The paper is intended to be a discussion document rather than a statement of position and it is hoped it can be debated at the MA Conference in September.
National Dimensions
The National Dimensions project is under-way. The purpose of the project, which AEA Consulting have been commissioned to undertake, is to conduct an analysis of current national/regional collaboration with a view to determining what works best and what would benefit most from any additional funding. Each NMDC member has been asked to nominate one point of contact to coordinate this work. AEA Consulting have now sent questionnaires to those nominated contacts to collect information about recent projects. This will be followed by interviews and a series of regional consultations in late May and early June. We expect to publish the report in the autumn.
Meeting with Anna Southall
Anna Southall, Chief Executive of Resource, attended the NMDC meeting on 28 March. Directors discussed Resource’s priorities, implementation of the Renaissance in the Regions and the appointment of a new Chairman for Resource.
Sector Skills Council
NMDC is supporting the bid for a Sector Skills Council for the creative and cultural sector. Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) are independent, UK-wide organisations developed by groups of influential industries that are of economic or strategic significance. They are industry-led and licensed by Government to take action to meet their sector’s skills and business needs. In return they will receive substantial public investment and greater dialogue with Government departments across the UK. A Sector Skills Council for the creative and cultural industries would help secure vital resources for skills training.
NMDC’s Leadership Working Party has been working with the Cultural Heritage NTO, Resource, the Museums Association, Arts Council England and many others to build the case for a SSC for the Cultural and Creative sector. To get the go-ahead the SSC requires emphatic industry support. A prospectus for the CSS has been launched and cultural organisations are being asked to support the submission of an Expression of Interest to develop a Creative and Cultural Sector Skills Council by visiting:
Meeting with English Heritage & National Trust
Members of the Executive Committee met Simon Thurley, Chief Executive of English Heritage and Fiona Reynolds, Chief Executive of the National Trust to discuss opportunities for coordinated action in areas of joint interest, such as tourism.
The National Trust issued a statement last month voicing their concern about the mismatch between government funding for attracting international visitors compared with encouraging people to holiday in England.
Public Sector Information
On 27 March the Council of Ministers agreed the text on the proposal for a Directive on the re-use and commercial exploitation of public sector information. The text included the exemptions for educational and cultural establishments, so there is now Council and Parliament consensus on this issue. NMDC along with colleagues in UK universities and libraries, led the campaign to ensure cultural and educational institutions were excluded from the Directive.
NMDC Newsletter April 2003 Page 1
Members News
NMDC Newsletter April 2003 Page 1
The National Archives
The Public Record Office and Historic Manuscripts Commission merged on 1 April to become the National Archives. A government department in its own right as well as an executive agency, The National Archives will report to the Lord Chancellor. The Chief Executive is Sarah Tyacke, Keeper of Public Records, who also becomes Historical Manuscripts Commissioner.
Later this year staff from the HMC in central London will move to the PRO’s site where the public information and advice areas will be redesigned to reflect the new service. The National Archives in Kew will then be able to provide information not just about public records (the records of central government and the courts of law) but also about private archives held throughout the UK and overseas, relating to all aspects of British history.
The new web address is and staff emails are now:
National Museums Liverpool
National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside is changing its name to National Museums Liverpool on 16th April. The change follows months of consultation with staff, trustees, friends and visitors. Liverpool is an internationally recognised city and it is hoped the new name will give the organisation an identity that is recognisable nationally and internationally as well as in the local area. The launch of the new identity coincides with a visit of judges for the European Capital of Culture 2008 competition.
The National Museums Liverpool corporate umbrella name will be used in dealings with government, funders, sponsors, academics and local authorities. National Museums Liverpool will focus its marketing to visitors on the eight individual venues.The Board of the National Museums and Galleries of Merseyside will remain the legal title of the organisation for use in certain circumstances and NMGM Enterprises will keep its existing name.
The new web address will be: and emails will be
Mystery Benefactor Helps Tate Save Reynold’s Omai
Tate has announced that a private patron, who wishes to remain anonymous, has expressed a wish to make it possible for Tate to acquire Sir Joshua Reynolds's great portrait of Omai. The painting would be one of the most important acquisitions in the gallery's history. Omai is one of the masterpieces of eighteenth-century British art and until recently was part of the Collection at Castle Howard in Yorkshire. The portrait, considered to be one of Reynolds's greatest works, secured a world auction record for the artist when the Howard family sold it at auction in 2001. Tate and The Art Fund have been working to save the work for the nation and the announcement came on the eve of the launch of a public appeal by Tate and The Art Fund to help raise the £12.5 million required.
Details will be formalised in coming weeks and Tate then expects to be in a position to make a matching offer for the painting in accordance with the export deferral system. If successful, it would result in the painting coming to the Tate in the long term.
Cabinet War Room Extension
The first phase of a £13.5m development at the Cabinet War Rooms, part of the Imperial War Museum, opens on 8 April. The project has reinstated the long-hidden chambers used by Churchill’s staff and his wife from 1941. The rooms have been restored working from wartime photographs and using original furniture and fittings. Phase 1 of the project has also includes state of the art education and conference facilities.
The second phase of the project, The Churchill Museum, will open in 2005.
NMM Quinquennial Report
DCMS has published the report of the quinquennial review of the National Maritime Museum. Thereport examines the roles and functions of the museum and how these functions contribute to the delivery of DCMS and governmental objectives. The report confirms that NMM makes a strong contribution to the delivery of DCMS and DfES objectives. It can be found at:
nmm_stage_one_report.html
£3.27m for V&A/RIBA project
The Heritage Lottery Fund has confirmed a grant of £3.27m to the Royal Institute of British Architects and the Victoria & Albert Museum to create a major new architectural gallery within the V&A and a new home for RIBA’s architectural drawings and archives.
The RIBA’s Drawings, Manuscripts and Archives Collections and associated staff will be re-housed alongside the Museum’s Prints, Drawings and Paintings collections in the Henry Cole Wing at the V&A. Architects Wright & Wright have designed new object stores, offices, public study rooms and a group teaching room. The new Architecture Gallery will be situated to the right of the main entrance of the V&A and will be designed by Gareth Hoskins Architects.
The project is due to be completed in October 2004.
In the meantime, the V&A and RIBA are developing programmes designed to extend access physically and virtually to their collections through education, exhibitions and on-line.
IWM Collections Online
The Imperial War Museum has launched new internet access to its collections. IWM Collections On-Line provides access to detailed catalogue entries for more than 55,000 items. Short essays on major historical themes enhance the catalogue. As well as being able to search the database, users are also offered a selection of records by theme giving easy access to some of the highlights of the collection. Images, sound files and text documents are attached to many of the items. Further content will be added during the coming year. The site can be found at
Maritime Museum Royal Opening
HRH The Duke of York has officially opened the National Maritime Museum Cornwall in Falmouth. More than 100,000 people have already visited the museum since it opened in December.
British Museum Changes
Dr Carol Homden, formerly Director of Marketing & Public Affairs at the British Museum has left to take up a new post Commercial Director of The Prince's Trust
NMDC Newsletter April 2003 Page 1
Current Issues
NMDC Newsletter April 2003 Page 1
DCMS Changes
Alex Stewart, Director of Arts & Culture will be leaving DCMS in three months time. She is going to work for executive search firm Saxton Bampfylde.
Elsewhere in the Department, Harry Reeves is moving from Sport to become the new Head of Tourism Division and the Policy, Innovation and Delivery Unit will be combined with the Education and Social Policy Unit. Jon Zeff will be the head of the new division.
VisitBritain
The British Tourist Authority and English Tourism Council merged on 1 April to become VisitBritain. The new organisation has responsibility for marketing England within Britain and Britain to the rest of the World. One of VisitBritain’s first priorities is to launch England’s first domestic makerting campaign for several years. The campaign, to be launched just after Easter, is being developed in partnership with and funded by the nine Regional Development Agencies.
VisitBritain is keen to develop long-term strategic alliances with key national partners, including museums. They are planning a campaign in Europe this autumn to promote short breaks in British cities including Bristol, Newcastle, Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester, Edinburgh and Cardiff. To find out more about this or any aspect of VisitBritain’s work, please contact Penny Boraston, VisitBritain’s Product Manager for Culture ( )
Sir Michael Lickiss has been appointed as the new chair of VisitBritain, replacing David Quarmby from 1 April.
Free Admission for Football Museum
Th National Football Museum in Preston has introduced free admission after securing a £2m deal with North West Development Agency. The NWDA has bought the lease of the museum, with money being provided by the Football Foundation. The National Football Museum, which opened in 2001, had unsuccessfully lobbied DCMS to fund free admission.
Business Arts Sponsorship Figures
A new report published by Arts and Business shows that the market for business investment in the arts proved resilient to the current economic climate in 2001-2. Total investment dipped by 3% but investment in museums and galleries was slightly up rising £0.5m to £27.7m. General business sponsorship was down 6% but corporate membership was up 32%, with Tate, the Royal Opera House and Glyndebourne receiving the lion’s share of the extra £3.6m from corporate membership.
The full report is due to be published shortly. Meanwhile an executive summary can be found at:
Heritage Review
DCMS in partnership with English Heritage has begun work on the major review of heritage protection announced by the Secretary of State in November 2002. An early paper “Review of Heritage Protection” setting out the issues for debate has been published. This can be found at Focus groups will be held in each region and formal consultation paper will be launched in July.
Museum Prize Shortlist
The Natural History Museum is one of the four finalists for the first Museum Prize. Judges selected the Darwin Centre Phase One along with Clifton Park Museum, Rotherham; Discovery Point, Dundee; and The Galleries of Justice, Nottingham. The winner will be announced on 15 May.
Designation Scheme Consultation
Resource has published a draft document setting out the criteria for the updated Designation Scheme. It is planned to extend the Designation Scheme to libraries and archives as well as museums. Comments are requested by 30 May 2003. For more details visit:
The newsletter is written and compiled by Emily Adams, NMDC Research & Communication Manager. If you have any comments or would like to contribute to a future edition, please contact
Resource has issued the new draft Registration standard for consultation. None of the elements of the earlier phases of the scheme have been removed, however the standard has been tightened up and updated, with higher profile given to users, staff, learning and access. The standard incorporates Resource’s existing work, for example Inspiring Learning for All, the Disability toolkit and the Benchmarks for the Care of Collection.
The closing date for comments is 13 June 2003. The draft standard can be found at:
publications/00pubs.asp
Museum Car Congestion Fine
Bristol Industrial Museum was surprised to receive a penalty notice for evading London’s congestion charge. The notice said a veteran car, with the number plate Y99 and a maximum speed of 15mph had been driven into central London on 17 February, the first morning of the new scheme, without paying the £5 charge. Curator Andrew King told The Telegraph they were surprised by the notice which said, “The contravention has been supported by a number of evidential images” because the car has been on display at the museum for 25 years!
Collections Portal Launched
The New Opportunities Fund has launched EnrichUK, a gateway to the culture, history and community web resources created through the NOF digitisation projects. The EnrichUK portal draws together 150 websites funded by the NOF scheme to provide online access to the collections of museums, libraries and archives across the UK. EnrichUK can be found at:
Community Interest Companies
The government has unveiled plans for new Community Interest Companies to enable entrepreneurs to use their profits and assets for the public good. CICs were one of the recommendations of the Strategy Unit’s Review of Charities published last year.
Worcester Museum Closed
Worcester’s Museum of Local Life has been closed for one year as part of the cash-strapped city council’s cost cutting measures. The Worcester Standard reports that visitors have expressed anger and disappointment about the closure of the 15th-century building, which first opened in 1971 and received more than 30,000 visitors in the last year.
NMDC Newsletter April 2003 Page 1
International Issues
NMDC Newsletter April 2003 Page 1